In order to meet the demand for wireless data traffic soring since the 4th generation (4G) communication system came to the market, there are ongoing efforts to develop enhanced 5th generation (5G) communication systems or pre-5G communication systems. For the reasons, the 5G communication system or pre-5G communication system is called the beyond 4G network communication system or post LTE system.
For higher data transmit rates, 5G communication systems are considered to be implemented on ultra high frequency bands (mmWave), such as, e.g., 60 GHz. To mitigate pathloss on the ultra high frequency band and increase the reach of radio waves, the following techniques are taken into account for the 5G communication system: beamforming, massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beamforming, and large scale antenna.
Also being developed are various technologies for the 5G communication system to have an enhanced network, such as evolved or advanced small cell, cloud radio access network (cloud RAN), ultra-dense network, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, coordinated multi-point (CoMP), and interference cancellation.
There are also other various schemes under development for the 5G system including, e.g., hybrid frequency shift key (FSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC), which are advanced coding modulation (ACM) schemes, and filter bank multi-carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and sparse code multiple access (SCMA), which are advanced access schemes.
The Internet is evolving from the human-centered connection network by which humans create and consume information to the Internet of things (IoT) network by which information is communicated and processed between things or other distributed components. Another arising technology is the Internet of everything (IoE), which is a combination of the big data processing technology and the IoT technology through, e.g., a connection with a cloud server. To implement the IoT, technology elements, such as a sensing technology, wired/wireless communication and network infra, service interface technology, and a security technology, are required. There is a recent ongoing research for inter-object connection technologies, such as the sensor network, machine-to-machine (M2M), or the machine-type communication (MTC). In the IoT environment may be offered intelligent Internet technology (IT) services that collect and analyze the data generated by the things connected with one another to create human life a new value. The IoT may have various applications, such as the smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, smart grid, health-care, or smart appliance industry, or state-of-art medical services, through conversion or integration of existing information technology (IT) techniques and various industries.
Thus, there are various ongoing efforts to apply the 5G communication system to the IoT network. For example, the sensor network, M2M, MTC, or other 5G techniques are implemented by schemes, such as beamforming, MIMO, and array antenna schemes. The above-mentioned application of the cloud RAN as a big data processing technique may be said to be an example of the convergence of the 5G and IoT technologies.
The universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card inserted into, e.g., a mobile communication terminal, and this is also called the UICC card. The UICC may include an access control module for accessing a mobile communication service provider's network. Examples of such access control module include the universal subscriber identity module (USIM), the subscriber identity module (SIM), and the Internet protocol multimedia service identity module (ISIM). The UICC including a USIM is typically referred to as a USIM card. Likewise, the UICC including a SIM is typically named an SIM card. As described hereinafter, the term “SIM card” may encompass, in its meaning, a UICC card, USIM card, or UICC having an ISIM. In other words, the technology for SIM cards may apply likewise to USIM cards, ISIM cards, or other common UICC cards.
A SIM card stores personal information about a mobile communication service subscriber, and upon access to a mobile communication network, authenticates the subscriber, and generates a traffic security key, enabling safe use of mobile communication services.
SIM cards are manufactured as dedicated cards for a particular mobile communication service provider at his request, and they are equipped with authentication information for access to the network of the service provider, such as a USIM application and international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), K value, and OPc value, before they are shipped out. The SIM cards so manufactured are delivered to the mobile communication service provider and then distributed to subscribers. Applications may be managed, e.g., installed, modified, or deleted in the UICC by utilizing, e.g., over the air (OTA) technique, as required to be done so later. A subscriber may receive network and application services of the service provider through his terminal with the UICC card inserted. Also, upon attempting to use a new terminal, the subscriber may avail himself of the authentication information, phone number, and contacts stored in the UICC card through the new terminal by simply putting the UICC card in the new device.
Such conventional SIM cards are difficult to use when the terminal users attempt to receive services from other mobile communication service providers. A user who is being served mobile communication services from one service provider should obtain a SIM card from another service provider to receive services from the other service provider. For example, a user traveling a foreign country, in order to receive mobile communication services there, needs to purchase an SIM card provided by a local mobile communication service provider in the country and insert it in his terminal. This, however, is quite bothering. A roaming service may relieve the user's such hassle by allowing him to stay in service through the mobile service provider serving him in his home country, but may charge him at a significantly high rate or leave the user out of service if there is no association between the service provider in the home country and a local service provider.
Therefore, a need exists for techniques allowing a SIM card to support various mobile communication services.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.